


Jig's Up

by oneawkwardcookie



Series: Put That Record On [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dancing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Getting Together, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28111677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneawkwardcookie/pseuds/oneawkwardcookie
Summary: It’s been 4 months and 18 days since Maddie came to LA, and she’s finally ready to start dating.
Relationships: Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han, Maddie Buckley/Howie “Chimney” Han
Series: Put That Record On [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2081517
Comments: 18
Kudos: 13





	Jig's Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [madamewriterofwrongs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamewriterofwrongs/gifts).



> This started life as a dancing fic, and because CJ gave me the line "Tonight, more than any night, I would very much like to be held." Not sure it meets the spec, but it's the nearest we're getting to fluff in this economy!

She’s sitting in his passenger seat, shooting nervous glances over at him until he reaches over the gear shift, giving a brief squeeze to her hand before he returns to the wheel.

“No need to be nervous.”

She breathes out, and he sees her shoulders lower out of the corner of his eyes.

“Yeah, you’re right, sorry… thanks.” There’s still a tightness to the words, the rhythm a little stilted, as though they’re keeping time with the ticking of her racing thoughts.

“You don’t need to thank me. I told you – I’m here for you.”

As he pulls up in front of the café, he tells her, “Remember – no pressure.” She nods along in tentative agreement. “And if you feel uncomfortable at _any_ time, just give me the sign.”

Her puffed out sigh hits the window, her released tension turned into a steamed-up shape as she slowly blinks her eyes closed, opening them on a now resolute expression.

“Perfect – now go get ‘em tiger!”

The glare she levels at him just makes him smile more, until her barely suppressed smile warms her eyes.

“I’ll be right behind you.”

He waits a few minutes, watching the fogged-up windows dissolve, until he can look out and through the shop window, to where she’s at the window seat. She’s twirling a strand of her hair around a finger, until she catches herself and sets both hands down on the table.

She’d been nervous from the start, pacing around his apartment as she explained that she’d gone onto a dating app out of solidarity with Josh, which had resulted in him grabbing her phone for long enough that it was returned with a few messages. He’d asked her if she was ready to get back out there, and that’d put an end to the pacing, except then she’d just been standing in the middle of his living room, arms outstretched and chest heaving as she stared into his soul. Two weeks later, they’d been watching a movie when she’d mentioned, mid conversation, that she had a date next week. He’d carried on looking at the screen even as she turned her head to face him. He’d told her how awesome she was, and she didn’t have anything to worry about, and the rest of the movie passed without any further discussion on the topic.

Taking a deep breath, he pushes through the shop door, consciously avoiding catching Maddie’s eyes, even as they follow him to a table a few meters back. His eyes are skimming over the menu, but he’s still deep enough in his thoughts that he’s startled by the waitress and ends up blurting out that he wants a cup of tea. Embarrassment stops him from getting up to order anything else, even as his stomach grumbles at him, and he puts the menu back down on the table.

Turns out neither of them need to worry about what her date will be like in person because the guy just doesn’t show. Chim’s on what feels like his 18th cup of tea, and is about to get up and go over to her table, when Maddie suddenly jumps up, almost crashing into the waitress that’s near her table in her haste to get out.

He jumps out of his seat too, throwing a bunch of cash on the table and a quick apology to the waitress as he rushes past her. The bell above the door has barely stopped ringing from when she passed through, but it still takes him a few heart-stopping seconds, as he looks up and down the street, to catch sight of her.

Maddie is slumped on a bench at the end of the dead-end street.

“Hey.” He announces his presence before sitting beside her, his hands in his lap as he looks over. 

“So that was a bust.” He knows she’s trying for humor, but it falls flat, bitter, disheartened. The hurt radiates off her, shoulders set even as she hides her face behind her hair.

“Better luck next time?”

She huffs out a disbelieving laugh.

“Let’s just head back to yours and watch Stardust.” He stands and offers her a hand; one she takes after a few seconds and lets herself be pulled to her feet.

The drive back is quiet, and he stops himself from doing anything more than humming along to the radio, since she’s clearly not in the mood for their normal routine of belting along, complete with over-dramatic hand-gestures and an imaginary air-microphone being passed around.

She makes a bee line for her couch and dramatically slumps into it, and by the time he’s returned with a tub of ice-cream and two spoons, she’s wrapped herself up in a blanket.

She watches the movie, and he watches her, catching the way her smile grows and she looks over to him during his favorite bits, smile brightening a little before she turns back to the screen. He alternates between a spoonful for himself and one for her, resisting the urge to compare her to a small bird, despite the way she leans over in wait for the next bit of ice cream.

By the time the credits have rolled, she’s fully pressed up against his side, head resting on his shoulder. He doesn’t dare to even breathe too hard as he squints at the TV, trying to work out if she’s fallen asleep. Unable to reach any conclusion from the reflections in the dark screen, he slowly shifts himself to rest her along the arm of the couch, but is stopped in his tracks by a warm hand wrapped tight around his forearm.

“I thought you were asleep.”

She just shakes her head, chewing her lip. The moment stretches.

“It’s getting late,” he stands up, “I should –

“Chim.” Her hand hasn’t left him, and it’s always his own personal brand of torture to be so close to her, to have her hold him without _holding_ him.

“Yeah Maddie?” He would try to blame the hour for the gruffness in his voice, but he can barely get two words out, and he doesn’t trust himself to say anymore.

The words are a soft murmur. “Tonight, more than any night, I would very much like to be held.”

She stands up, fingers still clutching him, and walks into his arms. They stand like that, her arms looped around his waist, his clasping each other on her lower back, her head resting along his shoulder as he dips his face into hers.

He chances a glance sideways, but she’s given no indication of letting go. He thinks he feels a slight smile, her cheeks rising, her chin digging in a little.

Maybe it’s the ticking of the pipes, or the faint echo of music from another apartment, or the sound of his heartbeat, or hers, but he starts swaying. It’s a gentle side to side of his hips to start with, barely enough to shift her, but it grows until his feet join in.

She moves with him, slow side steps, socked feet sliding but keeping time.

He takes a chance, spinning her out until she’s in front of him. Her hair's still swinging around as she holds out a hand. He takes it, pulls her back, into a proper dance hold. With a jerk of his head and a nod of hers, they’re dancing properly.

They go from calm to lively in no time, her smile radiant as he twirls her out and back again. Turning on the spot, he’s lost in her eyes, in the way she doesn’t leave his and follows him every step of the way,

It’s dizzying, her hand resting over his shoulders and her head tilting as they spin faster and faster, until there’s nothing else to do but stop. She falls the last few inches, one arm pressed between their bodies, her hand over his heart.

When she finally looks up, her smile has faded. He’s been found out.

But her other hand is across the back of his neck and her chest heaves and there’s that look in her eyes again, from a few weeks ago.

“Next Friday?” He’s still catching his breath, but he needs to say something into the thrumming energy that surrounds them.

She tilts her head, lips parted, eyes searching his.

“We should probably go on a proper date at some point.”

She answers with a smile, and a nod, and a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> The dancing itself is inspired by the couple in the white shirt and the orange dress from [Rhythms of Mohabbatein](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW7OhIEd_Wo) 😁
> 
> If you liked it, kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
